Automotive driving axle construction



lpllil 2, 1935. H, w, ALBEN l 1,996,138.A

AUTOMOTIVE DRIVING AXLE CONSTRUCTION Filed` Aug. v10, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 in one of said axles.

Patented Apr. 2, 1935 UNITED L STATES PAT lezNTfv 0,1-*r1cE/- l AUTOMOTIVE DRIVING AXLE Y CONSTRUCTION Herbert W. Alden, Detroit, Mich., assignor' to The 'limken-Detl'oitv Axle Company, Detroit, l.

Mich.,r a corporation ofOhio Application August 1o, 1932, sensu No. l628,141

7 claras. (c1. 18o-#22) This invention relates- .principally to. automo- 'tive drivingaxle constructions comprisingy two diierential driving *axlesy that are differentially driven by a third diierential mechanism mounted The invention has for its principal objects to provide a simple; strong and compactconstruction whereby all of the drive gearing in .each axlejmay be' attached to and removed `from said axle as a unit; to provide for ytransmitting a greater `amount of power to each axle without making the final driving gears larger than the requirements of road clearance will permit; to provide a simple and compact arrangement for supporting the 'fthirddiierential in one axle in axial alinemen't with'the propeller for both axles; to enable said third differential mechanism to be mounted onand removedv from its supporting axle with. the drive gearing therefor' as a unit; `to provide a substantially straight propeller shaft for saidfaxles; and to provide-for the ready inspection'and removal of ther-gears and the adjustment of the bearings therefor. The `invention consists inthe parts and in the combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and claimed. i

In the accompanying drawings which form part of thisspecicationV andwherein like sym- 'bols refer to like parts wherever.: they occur,

Fig. 1 isa plan view ofthe middle portion'- of thedual differential driving axle unit embodying my invention, y Y

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section through the upper portion of the gear carrier' for the front yaxle 'on the line 2-2 in Fig. 3,

Fig. 3 is a vertical central longitudinal ysection ,1 through the front axle on theline-J-'in Fig.` 2, Fig. 4 is a horizontal section throughthe rear v axle, thefsection being taken through the upper portion of the gear carrier thereforon the line 4 4 in Fig. 5, and

Y f Fig. 5 is a vertical longitudinal sectionthrough the middle portion of the rear axle onthe line 5-5 in Fig. 4.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, my invention is shown in connection with a dual driving axle unit of the `,kind used v.with six and eight wheeled motor vehicles. Said unit comprises two differential driving axles, .one front or through drive axle A and one rear or i'lnal drive axle B. The two axles are driven by a sectional drive or propellerl shaft C, which extends from the usual changevspeed mechanism (not shown), through the front axle `tothe rear axle with its sections connected together by the usual universal joints D. Each of the driving axles,

A and B, coi'nprises a conventional load supporting housing having tubular end portionsk I, which are adapted to receivefthe axle shaft sections 2,

and an enlarged middle yportion 3, which is adaptedv to receive ya suitable differential mechanism G through an opening located preferablyin thetop "of said enlarged middle portion. I Gear carriers E Aand F are removably 'securedto the tops of the bowl-shaped middle portions' 3 of the axle housings of the drivinglaxles A and B,respec tively, and are adapted to supportthe differential `.mechanism G and the drive gearing therefor, said gear carriers covering .the opening in the bowl-shaped middle portions of the4 respective axle housings and being provided with circularv flanges 4 that are removably secured tovsaidv axle housings by-cap screws 5. l

vThe differential mechanism' Gfor'each driving axle is' enclosed withina split casing 6 that consists of duplicate half sections that are removably y secured together at their opposing ends by means of bolts 1. TheI diierential gear 'casing 6 isfprovided at itsopposite ends with axially alined-hubs n 8 that are adapted to loosely receive the axle shaftj sections 2. The hubs 8 of the differential; gear casing 6 are journaled in suitable antifriction bearings 9 provided thereforinhorizontally split journal boxes I0 that depend fromthe gear'carrier whereby said differential gearcasin'g, the dif- Yferential mechanism G therein, and said antifric- Y tion bearings are all removable from Vthe axle housing .with said carrier as a unit. The differential mechanism G for each axle preferably Ycomva spider I3. Said spider has radially extending stub shafts llivthatlrotatewith the differential gear casing 6 and hasbevel pinions I5 journaled thereon that inter-mesh with the two bevel side gears Il. 1

The differential gear. casingf' of each driving y axle is driven by means of two sets of wormgearing, located one on each side of` the transverse center line of said differential gear casingachset of worm gearingcomprisesa worm gear ringr I6y that is driven by an overhung worm I1. The worm gear ring I6 is seated in an outwardly opening annular groove formed in thedifferentialgear casing concentric with the axis thereof,'the` inner wall of said groove being' formed integralrwith the diierential gear casing andthe outer wall thereof f being formed by any annular'plate ,l8` riveted to saidfdiierential gear-casing; The worms Il of L 'es gear carrier E. The rear end portion of the other propeller shaft section 28 ofy the front axle Als' lsupported-in ks. suitable double antifriction bearing 34 mounted ina coverli that closes a gear the two sets of worm: Vgearing for each axle are preferably formed integral with parallel shaftsil 8 located in the upper portion-ofthe diiferentibgear carrier yfor-said axle. The two worm shafts It extend transverse to the axle'axis and are spaced apart equal distances on opposite sides of the transverse center line of the differential gear casing 6. Oneend of each worm shaft I9 is rotatably supported in a suitabledouble anti-friction bearing mounted in an opening provided therefor in one end wall of the carrier therefor; 'and the op.-4 posite end of said worm shaft is rotatably Imi-L` ported in a suitable single anti-friction bearing 2|'.

end of said bearing and are held in contact` therewith by means, of a nut 24 threaded on the adjacent end' of said shaft. The opening for-said worm shaft bearing 2l`is closed' by means ofa vsuitable cap 25, which is removablysecured tothe carrier landis shaped to 'cover-fthe nut 24 on the yendkof saidworm shaft.

v'Ihe sectional propeller or drive shaft C for the dual axle unit` preferably comprises a section-25 leading from the ltransmission vgearing (not shown) to the front or through drive axle A, sections 21.and. 28 mounted inthe gear carrier E ofsaid 'front or through drive axle A, a section 29 7 extending from axle `to axle, and a section y3l mounted in the gear carrier 1F of the rear or nal .drive axle B. .The rear end of the propeller shaft section 21 in the front axle gear carrier Eis supported in a suitable antifriction bearing 3| mounted'in'a suitable journalbox 82 that depends from the top'wall of said gear carrier E; and the option .21 is supported in a suitable antifriction bearing 33 'moimted in thefront end wallof said receiving opening361in the rear wall of the gear "carrier.E for said axle; and likewise, the propeller shaft'section Il in the rear axlegear car-k rier F is mounted in a suitable double bearing 34a f mounted in a cover 35a that covers a gear receiving opening al'in the front wall of said gearl carrierF Y 'rnetw'e many alinea, prepener intersections V2`| and 28 in the front axle gear carrier yl! are peller shaft sectionk for rotation relative thereto.

The' two opposed bevel side gears 31 and 3l yare driven by means of bevel pinions 39 mounted on .the radially extending studs 40 of a spider 4I. 4

which surounds the hub of the bevel side gear 31 that rotates with the propeller shaftsection 21. Thestuds 4l of thespider-ll-are attached to and rotate with a transversely split` casing 42?which encloses the' differential gearing, one section of said casing beingformed integral with theadjacent end of the propeller shaft section 21 gearcarriersh `marie large to permit thespur gears Il intermesh with and are driven by a. spur pinion M on the propeller shaft C.V 'Ihe spur pinion that drives the pair of spur gears in the front axle is splined on the hub of the bevel side gear. yof

the third differential mechanism H; and the spur f pinion for driving the pair ofspur gearsk in the rearaxleisflxedtotherearendofthepropeller shaft section Il therein and hasiitsjhub journaled in a suitable antifrictionbearing Il mounted in a jiournal box Il, that depends from the top of the rearaxlegearcarrierl". Theopeningsl and and F. respectively, are

and vM to in and withdrawn fromv the inserted infand removed from the front axle gear f theopening `38 therein. The

wormshafts' il are inserted in and removed from f the.l gear carrier through the openings in whi the'doublen arey g v Byk the arrangement powelivered smy from theengine tothe throughdrive propeller shaftC is transmitted(to'.thethirddit-` :eremiti H in front drivmuxie and thence through the sets of gearing of to the differential kdriving G thereof.

differential mechanism s. in turn,.serve to differentially drivethe axle shaft sections 2 of the respective. snee- The workings nereteferejms )been done `with a 'set of worm gears is divided betweentwoset's'of worm gears'. thereby. making. it Ifeasible .to transmit considerable more powerto eachraxlewithout vthe diameter of the'gears and without cuttingi'iown thebodyofroadelearance posite or forward end of said propeller shaft seca.

It is'neced eranlmpemnt edvmtae'orgmy sur invention that it provides n.3substantially'straightV the nal drive searing,.together with the shafts and supporting bearings therefor, tobe attached to and Vdetached from the axleV housing with the' vcarrier-as a unit;` and it also` permits the third differential gearing tobe removed with or sepfarately from the gear carrier ofthe front axle.`

, Obviously, the hereinbefore described construction admits of considerable modiiieation without departing from .the invention'. Therefore, I do not wish to b e limited tothe `precise-details of constructionshown and described. What I claim is:

1. A dual axle unit driving axles,'sdiiferentialgear casing mounted in each axle,` a sectional propeller shaftl extending from axle to axle, -two worm gears rotatable with I -the dierential gear casingof axle, two

parallel shafts mounted in each andarranged one'o'n each side of a section ofsaidpropeller. f shaftVV and `provided *with worms. meshingywith drive'betweenthe twoaxles for differ'- f 45 peller shaft along ofthe vehicle Vin line with the engine;and.it'also places the differential in axial alinement .with said sectional .propeller shaft and furnishes asimple and com- `pact mounting lfor said differential inthe gear carrier ofthe ,front or through driveaxle.: gAn-f other advantage of my invention is that -it enables' rier removably secured to each axle and supporting the propeller shaft section, the worm shafts on opposite sides of said section and thev gearing therebetween, and the differential gear casing and the worm gears thereon.

2. A through drive difi'erential driving axle construction comprising a differential driving mechanism, a propeller shaft comprising two axially alined sections extending transversely of said axle, a differential mechanism operatively connecting adjacent ends of said propeller shaft sections, said last mentioned differential mechanism including two gears on one of said propeller shaft sections, one rotatable with and the other rotatable on said section, two shafts provided with worms and disposed parallel with and on opposite sides of said propeller shaft sections, worm gears intermeshing with the respective worm shafts and operatively connected to said first mentioned differential driving mechanism, gears on said worm shafts, and a pinion meshing with said gears, said pinion being rotatable with one of the two gears on said propeller shaft section.

3. A through drive differential driving axle construction comprising an axle housing, a difierential driving mechanism, a propeller shaft comprising two axially alined sections extendingy transversely of said axle, a differential mechanism operatively connecting adjacent ends of said propeller shaft sections, said last mentioned differential mechanism including two gears on one of said propeller shaft sections, one rotatable with and the other rotatable on said section, two shafts provided with worms and disposed parallel with and on opposite sides of said propeller shaftsections, worm gears intermeshing with the respective worm shafts and operatively connected to said first `mentioned differential driving mechanism, gears on said Worm shafts, and a pinion meshing with said gears, said pinion being rotatable with the gear that rotates on one of said propeller shaft sections, and a carrier removably secured to said axle housing and supporting the two differential mechanisms, the two propeller shaft sections, the two sets of worm gearing and said pinion and said gears.

4. A through drive differential driving axle construction comprising an axle housing, a differential driving mechanism, a propeller shaft comprising two axially alined sections extending transversely of said axle, a differential mechanism operatively connecting adjacent ends of said propeller shaft section, said last mentioned differential mechanism including two gears on one of said propeller shaft sections, one rotatable with and the other rotatable on said section, two shafts having worms thereon and disposed parallel with and on opposite sides of said propeller shaft sections, gears intermeshing with the respective worm shafts and operatively connected to the first mentioned differential driving mechanism, gears on said worm shafts, and a pinion meshing with said gears and rotatable with the gear lthat rotates on one of said propeller shaft sections, and a carrier removably secured to said axle housing and supporting the two differential mechanisms, the two propeller shaft sections, the two worm gears, and the pinion and the gears intermeshing therewith, said carrier being provided with an opening through which said pinion and gears and said propeller shaft differential may be inserted in and removed from said carrier.

5. A` dual driving axle unit comprising a through drive axle and a final drive axle, each axle including a differential driving mechanism therefor, two axially alined propeller shaft sections mounted in the through drive axle, a differential mechanism mounted in said through drive axle in axial alinement with and operatively connecting the adjacent ends of the two axially alined propeller shaft sections thereima propeller shaft section mounted in the final drive axle, a propeller shaft section connecting the propeller shaft section of the two axles, two sets of worm gearing mounted in each axle, one on each side of the propeller shaft axis, and driving connections between" the propeller shaft differential and the two sets of worm gearing in each axle, the propeller shaft differential mechanism ofthe through drive axle being disposed between the two sets of worm gearingtherein.

6. A` dual driving axle unit comprising a through drive axle and a final drive axle, a differential gear case mounted in each axle, two gears .rotatable with the differential gear case of each axle, two spaced parallel shafts mounted in` each axle and having driving connections with the two gears therein, a propeller shaft extending from axle to axle between the two spaced parallel shafts therein, said propeller shaft comprising two sections journaled in the through drive axle, a section leading to the final drive axle and a section journaled in said last mentioned axle, and a differential driving mechanism mounted in the through drive axle between and intermediate the ends of the two spaced parallel shafts therein for dividing power delivered to one of the two propeller shaft sections in said through drive'axle between the other of said sections and the two spaced parallel shafts in said through drive axle.

7. A dual driving axle unit comprising a through drive axle and a final drive axle, a differential gear case mounted in each axle, two i worm gears rotatable with the differential gear case of veach axle, two spaced parallel shafts mounted in each axle and having worms thereon intermeshing with the two worm gears of said axle, a propeller shaft extending from axle to axle between the two worm shafts therein, said propeller shaft comprising two sections journaled in the through drive axle, a section leading to the final drive axle and a section journaled in said last mentioned axle, and a differential driving mechanism mounted in the through-drive axle between and intermediate the ends of the two worm shafts therein for dividing power delivered to one of the two propeller shaft 'sections in said through drive axle between the other of said sections and the two worm shafts in said through drive axle.

HERBERT W. ALDEN. 

